- By Dan Veaner
- News
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"We're not here to object to public access to our neighborhood," resident Neil Tarallo told the Trustees. "During the day, particularly on weekends and after dark I think the intent of the Village of Lansing for that public access is not being adhered to by the public."
Part of the problem is that the neighborhood is out of sight from the main road, and that only five of 21 lots have completed, occupied houses on them. Residents say this means it is easy to conduct unsafe and illegal activities without being seen, making official intervention necessary, at least for now. Deputy Mayor Lynn Leopold said the Village can do more to protect Village-owned parts of the neighborhood.
"What I'm hoping will happen, and of course this is going to take time, is that as more properties are occupied that the problems will begin to lessen," noted Deputy Mayor Lynn Leopold. "We definitely have a responsibility for our public areas."
At least some of the problems appear to be a case of good intentions going astray. Village officials made public access a part of 'The Seasons On Cayuga' project when it was approved for development. A small parking lot is set in a public area on Blackchin Boulevard. The Village will eventually take possession of Bolton Point Road, which leads from the parking area down a hairpin turn to a pumping station used by the Water Commission. The intention is to eventually block that access road to vehicular traffic, effectively creating a walking path that leads to the lake and Poison Ivy Point.
There are two obstacles to completing that project. First, it has taken longer than expected to complete legal proceedings that will transfer ownership of the road to the Village. Second, the Village will have to obtain a right of way to cross Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks so the public can access parkland on Poison Ivy Point, which is currently only accessible by boat without violating the Railroad's property rights.
The public area around the parking lot is attracting underage drinkers and partiers, as well as people driving up and down Bolton Point Road, which includes a hairpin turn as it descends to Cayuga Lake. Wooded areas are attracting people who may be camping or having sexual encounters, and the road itself is encouraging speeding and auto racing.
"People are using the parking area in large numbers," Tarallo explained. "Skateboarding down those hills has become a big pastime for those kids. That horseshoe has two blind curves."
Blackchin Boulevard is a ring going from East Shore Drive west toward the lake, turning into a north-south span, then back to East Shore. Neighbors say that it makes a perfect race track for people with fast cars, and because the two east-west legs go downhill it has become a popular skateboarding track for kids. Neighbors say the combination will almost certainly result in a car hitting a skateboarder.
"I have been almost hit by a car three times to the point where we no longer feel it is safe for our son to be walking the dog on the street," Tarallo said. "When I say I came close, I was hit by a car's driver's-side mirror. He did not stop."
Residents also said that wooded parts of the development are being used for sexual encounters. They have found condoms and condom wrappers, and personal items littered around the area.
"We can see couples coming and going into the woods, then coming back," said Murillo Campollo. "I don't think they're buying land! That's the kind of thing it's becoming, which is not what we had in mind."
Residents asked for signage, road patrol, speed bumps and other posible solutions. Leopold took notes and asked for residents' input on how best to use what few options the Village has available. She said that speed bumps may not be a viable solution to speeding there.
"We've been talking about speed bumps in other neighborhoods just this last week," she said. "There is a lot of resistance to it in our Public Works department because of the difficulty in plowing them. It's very difficult to change the blade angle without nicking the bump."
Leopold said that because the problems appear to be chronic the Village can ask the Sheriff to focus on patrolling the area. Residents say that while they have called the Sheriff's office a few times it has not been effective, in part because with limited resources deputies can't respond in time.
"I have tried and my neighbors have tried calling the Sheriff's department," Tarallo told the board. "We all know how stressed the Sheriff is with personnel. It is difficult for them to get down there in time to see what's going on or catch the culprits."
Leopold asked the residents to apprise the Village of issues in the future as officials look for practical and effective solutions.
"It's an attractive nuisance," Leopold said. "People want to be down there, but I am sorry that it's gotten to be such a party scene."
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